Downtown Tulsa Underground Tunnels

Updated on November 8, 2016

Buried beneath downtown Tulsa, a system of secret underground tunnels was built to connect many of Tulsa's early skyscrapers. The tunnel system was designed at first for freight, but soon became a millionaires' highway, protecting the wealthy and elite from danger. This is a story of Tulsa's secret tunnels.

Tulsa Tunnels: A Guide

He stood at the window, clutching his brown fedora in his
hands, admiring the "queen of the Tulsa skyline." Waite Phillips was proud of his
creation. The Philtower was completed in
1927, and the building he now stood in, the Philcade, was completed just two
years later. He felt as if he owned the
city, and still, he was humble enough to know that if it weren’t for his elder
brothers and the support of the community, he wouldn't be where he is today.

Still, as with all wealthy businessmen of the day, Waite
Phillips had to remain vigilant. The
lawlessness that centered in Chicago during the 1920s and 30’s spread fear
across the country, especially among many prominent and powerful citizens. Many millionaires began taking precautions,
especially after the son of Charles Lindbergh was abducted in 1932.

From this fear of crime and chaos in a distant part of the
country, the Tulsa underground tunnels were born.

Construction of the Tulsa tunnels began in 1929 with an 80-foot
underground tunnel running between the Philtower and the Philcade. The tunnel was originally designed as a way
to transport materials between the two buildings, however due to the rash of
kidnappings of wealthy businessmen in Chicago at the time, Waite Phillips felt
secure in being able to move freely between the two buildings.

The Philtower, one of Tulsa’s most prominent skyscrapers, was
completed in 1927. The “queen of the
Tulsa skyline” is a great example of neo-gothic and art deco architecture. It was designed by Edward Buehler Delk and
financed by renowned oilman, and dedicated philanthropist Waite Phillips. The Philtower is easily recognizable by its
green and red polychrome tile roof.

The Philcade, also financed by Waite Phillips to compliment
the Philtower, was completed in 1929, two years after the Philtower was
completed. The building housed plenty of
commercial space on the ground floor, mezzanine, and the second floors, serving
as headquarters for many developing oil companies and individuals connected
with the oil industry. When the Philcade
opened, it offered 259 office suits and 28 shops, making the fifth and Boston
Avenue area the most popular business location in town.

In all, the Tulsa tunnels connect eight buildings, three
parking garages, a world-class hotel, and numerous café’s and small
businesses. It’s possible to go from
Fifth and Boston to First and Main while staying indoors the entire time.

Map of Tulsa Tunnels

Note: Map is not centered due north. It has been rotated for clarity. Click for full size image.

Tulsa Tunnel Notes: Entrances and Interesting Information

The Tulsa Tunnels were said to be used during prohibition to discreetly supply the oil barons plenty of booze.

The tunnel that connects the Philcade to the Philtower once housed a local radio station. This tunnel is apparently no longer open to the public. The entrance is hidden in the basement and has a large vault door system.

The First Place Tower (BankOne) and the Main Park Plaza (The Mayo Building) are connected by an interior concourse. This underground route is not connected to the rest of underground system.

Williams Complex (Formerly known as The Forum) - The parking garage
under the Williams Complex exit onto Samson Plaza next to the Crowne
Plaza. From there, you can walk through the hotel and the parking
garage into the tunnel.

Adam's Mark Hotel - The North tunnel entrance is inside the lower parking garage of the Adam’s Mark Hotel.

The history of the tunnels under Tulsa is both fascinating and enlightening. Most people who travel the streets of downtown are unaware that the tunnels even exist. Next time you're in downtown Tulsa, ask around. Visit the buildings and ask the people that work inside; most of the time, you'll find quite a few people who are willing to offer great stories of the tunnels, as well as direct you on where to find their entrances.

Buildings Linked by Tunnels in Tulsa

Building Name

Address

Date Building Erected

Notes

Philcade

511 S. Boston

1929

Lobby built in the shape of a "T" for Tulsa

Philtower

427 S. Boston

1927

Second skyscaper in Tulsa

Atlas Building

409 S. Boston

1922

Built in the shape of an inverted "T"

Mid-Continent Building

401 S. Boston

1916

Tulsa's first skyscraper

Kennedy Building

321 S. Boston

1915

Lobby offers a 10 story atrium

Exchange Tower

320 S. Boston

1917

Exchange Tower

320 S. Boston

1923

12 Floor Addition added

Exchange Tower

320 S. Boston

1927

21 Story Tower was Added making this Tulsa's tallest building.

Adam's Mark Hotel (Crowne Plaza)

100 E. 2nd Street

Tulsa Performing Arts Center (TPAC)

Williams Complex

Williams Tower (BOK Tower)

Tulsa City Hall

Main Park Plaza

This table lists all of the buildings linked by tunnels, interior concourses, or pedestrian bridges in Tulsa

Join in the Conversation..

Since writing this article, I have found a great resource for all things Tulsa Tunnel related. Visit AbandonedOK.com to learn more. Currently, we are looking for information on the (possible) old subway system that was proposed for Tulsa.

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Comments 13 comments

These are still here but have you seen the ones under the Tulsa International airport? Every large major city supposedly has these & its rumored that they all connect from a time during world war 2

brakel2 6 years ago from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Great hub about Tulsa underground tunnels. Tunnels in cities are fascinating. Thanks for the history lesson. From a fellow Oklahoman.

malachi mcsherry 4 years ago

I live in Bixby and was wandering do they still use these tunnels and do they have tours ?

Urbane Chaos 4 years ago from Wister, Oklahoma Author

Malachi, yes, many of the tunnels under Tulsa are still used. Tours of the Tulsa tunnels are conducted by Bandana Tours. I believe that they are the only ones that still offer the Tulsa tunnels. Their website should tell you all the information you need: www.bandanatours.com

I have always been interested in the tunnels under cities. Most big cities that I know of have them.

Urbane Chaos 3 years ago from Wister, Oklahoma Author

Surprising, there's quite a few towns in Oklahoma that have tunnels under them. Most people expect tunnels to exist in the bigger cities, such as Chicago and New York, but it just amazes me that they're in places like Bartlesville and Okmulgee. It seems to have been a big fad back then.

botipton 3 years ago from Cecilia, KY

That is interesting I had no idea that there were tunnels under small towns. May favorite ones are under Seattle. I took that tour and it was astonishing what was down there. Although Moose Jaw, SK, Canada is not a big city and it has tunnels that you can take tours through.

Urbane Chaos 3 years ago from Wister, Oklahoma Author

I've read about those, but have never had the opportunity to visit them. I bet that was a fascinating tour! The one that I would like to go through is the massive tunnels over in Europe (the name has escaped me!) They say those are some of the most fascinating in the world.

There's a lot of hidden architectural gems like that in Oklahoma. Under the Parkinson Hotel in Okmulgee (the tallest building there), there's an olympic-sized swimming pool. It was still there back in 2004, but someone said that it's all been closed off since then.

In Tulsa, there's a lot of tunnels and caves, many of them just rumored to exist. I've seen parts of the tunnels that lead from the Cave House. At one time, that building was a bootleggers hideout and had a secret room at the back that led to the tunnels. Closer to downtown, there were plans to build a subway system. Many have claimed that it was started, but all I've ever seen was the proposed plans. There's no evidence that it was built beyond a few stories. Rumor also has it that there are mass burial graves and tunnels in Tulsa that relate to the Tulsa race riots, but again, that's just rumor.

One of the more fascinating places in Tulsa is where the airport is. During WWII, it was heavily involved in the military. It's said that there was a secret bunker located under the airport. I haven't found any real documentation, but I would imagine that that's still classified. It was also said that that same bunker also housed some of the top prisoners of war. Knowing how involved the area was with the military, I believe that this one existed/exists. Eventually, I would like to get proof of it and get that published as well.

You may know this already; Oklahoma had a lot of POW camps, and the only POW hospital in the country. The hospital was located where the OSU campus is in Okmulgee. Parts of the original camp can still be seen. Somewhere, I have photos of that as well.

If you're on Facebook, look up "Oklahoma Traveler". If I remember right, I posted quite a few of these photos under that name in the past.

botipton 3 years ago from Cecilia, KY

Yep I found it at https://www.facebook.com/oklahoma.traveler. Yes there is ton of good pictures in there that you have posted. Sounds to me like you still have several hubs to write about castles and tunnels in Oklahoma. I look forward to reading them.

FlourishAnyway 3 years ago from USA

This is so interesting! I had no idea a place like Tulsa would have underground tunnels. You'd expect it from Chicago maybe or DC. I don't know why. Voted up and more.